On vinyl, of course. Everyone is talking about how wonderful this sounds, which is absolutely the case. But great sound and so-so music is only a parlor trick and rarely, if ever, merits a second listen. This is excellent music that also sounds great.
Well, thanks for your POV! Yes, it sounds phenomenal! But do you really think, this is some reliable information to hand out?: Information without evidence is no information at all!
THE COMPLETE BILL EVANS ON VERVE (known as much for the infamous rusting metal box as for the music!). True, his output from this period was a bit uneven, but there are still dozens upon dozens of masterworks in this box. Today listened to all of the excellent live recordings made in 1964 at the Trident Club in nearby Sausalito, CA, with Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker.
Much maligned by its creator but I never can get enough of this one from earlier this evening: Rhapsodic music with some great Kenny Wheeler compositions, intertwining horns with the underrated Heinz Sauer pairing with the others and a rhythm team of Richie Beirach, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette. Seems more like a Wheeler session but really solid if you are into this aesthetic (Adams apparently was not). Only “Got Somethin’ Good For You” seems out of place and I would call a misstep of sorts. Listening to this now for a change of pace:
George Adams didn't rate Sound Suggestions very highly? That's interesting as I agree with you. It's a really good album. Do you know what he was unhappy about? I wonder if maybe the process didn't go the way he wanted or something similar. NP Sonny Clark Trio (Audio Fidelity) Hoffman mastered cd.
NP Joe Henderson with Charlie Haden and Al Foster at the Montreal Jazz Fest 1989. All of the concerts from the Haden Tribute were excellent but this one was a little extra special to me. Joe sets the mood with his opening notes of the old war horse Round Midnight. He blows some fresh air in that old favorite and manages to keep me engaged. Like Sonny, he likes playing with time, something I love doing too so it draws me in even more.
This was the MJQ's first album for Atlantic. It was recorded 1/22/56 at Van Gelder's in Hackensack except for one track recorded 2/14/56 at Capitol Studios, NYC by John Kraus. Produced by Nesuhi Ertegun. My CD is the 1989 Atlantic reissue
It took me some years to really appreciate the MJQ. I bought the Live at Montreux 1982 and Concorde in the late 1980s and I didn't buying anything else until the late 1990s when I started buying up the early recordings on vinyl and became a fan of the vibraharp. Then I started appreciating John Lewis' composing and playing. My favorites these days are Pyramid and Lonely Woman.
This one must rank near the top for his "American Quartet". "Everything That Lives Laments" : I agree with that. What a wonderful composition. (Listening to the recent high-res version)
I found this one more Kenny Wheeler than George Adams. But I like it. Any links or more context to the "much maligned"?
My first exposure to the MJQ was a compilation LP: Prestige PR 7425, "The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays Jazz Classics", 1966. It had a strong selection of their recordings for the label.
1989 XRCD2 Recorded and released 1958 Wynton Kelly - piano Kenny Burrell - guitar Paul Chambers - bass Philly Joe Jones - drums
Yes, me too. I have the same problem with Jackie Mclean... more so actually. I often used to think it was the way the alto was recorded but I think it must be just the sound that some musicians make when playing it.
It took me a while to get used to Jackie McLean's tone. It certainly is an acquired taste. Same with tenor saxophonist Von Freeman's tone.
From The Complete Bill Evans On Verve Box Disc 11, 12, 13 & half of 14. Disc 11 Further Conversations With Myself - Bill Evans + 4 tracks previous released on the following (including 5 tracks previously unreleased) California Here I Come - Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez & Philly Joe Jones All remaining recordings from the (California Here I Come) 17th & 18th August 1967 gigs are included on Discs 12, 13, and about half of disc 14.
Tony Williams - Native Heart with Wallace Roney on trumpet, Bill Pierce on tenor & soprano, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ira Coleman or Bob Hurst on bass and Tony Williams on drums. 1989 recording.
Sonny Stitt – Stitt Plays Bird (Atlantic Records) — With John Lewis, Jim Hall, Richard Davis, Connie Kay
Art Farmer Quintet At Boomers # 2 (East Wind Music / Universal Music Japan) — With Clifford Jordan, Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, Billy Higgins; live at Boomers, NYC
Now, I have NO problem with Von Freeman's tone... love it! Going back to Jackie McLean I think it must have something to do with the state of my hearing now. As a young man I had no problem with Jackie's tone, although I always did prefer the way he sounded on Blue Note over the way he sounded on Prestige. As my hearing has deteriorated over the years I find I now have a far lower tolerance to high-frequency sounds in general including, unfortunately, the sound Jackie makes on his alto.
Reminded by alankin1's Sonny Stitt post above. Another great album (like Sonny's imo), not sure about the cover art though John Coltrane - "Coltrane's Sound" (1960) with McCoy Tyner, Steve Davis (bass), Elvin Jones. (Atlantic CD)
Now (again...): Miles Davis - E.S.P. - CD 24 of The Complete Columbia Album Collection - Sony. Recorded in 1965; Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone), Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass) and Tony Williams (drums).
Eberhard Weber - Encore. These are nice easily digestible cuts of about 3-4 minutes length, mixing recorded encore improvisations with newly-added backgrounds. A fair effort. I'd probably enjoy listening to Colours of Chloe again more than listening to this again, but there are some very pretty sections in this album. (Zappa did a vaguely similar thing in his Shut Up and Play Your Guitar series -- mixing guitar solos with other recorded material as background. But that was mostly pretty crummy IMO. I guess I just don't get Zappa -- as anything other than a novelty track artist -- Montana, Valley Girl, etc etc. Why his guitar playing is considered something special is beyond me. But I digress.)
Illinois Jacquet - The Blues; That's Me! Illinois Jacquet, tenor sax & bassoon; Wynton Kelly, piano; Buster Williams, bass; Oliver Jackson, drums.
John Lindberg – Resurrection Of A Dormant Soul (Soul Note) — With Albert Mangelsdorff, Ed Thigpen, Eric Watson
